Poultry-coop.



F. C. HANNA. POULTRY COOP,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, I9I6- I l l 4' I M a a Patented Dec, 26, 1916.

F. C. HANNA.

POULTRY COOP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 9. I916.

1,210,307. Patented Dec. 26,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 7' 3' g; 4/ as I! f 41 7 a 4/ Z'7/Jd J/ ad 37 .97 x/ kl ,2 5? y ,e/ M .4; 77 g; W Mg; r /a 44- /9; 2? W a? 4 4 aam/ 9 Z 29 Z o c o o 4 TE ST FRANK COOPER HANNA, OF ASHBYBURG, KENTUCKY.

POULTRY-COOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec. 2.6, 1191116..

Application filed February 9, 191 .Serial no. 7 7,186.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Coornn HANNA, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Ashbyburg, in the county of Hopkins, State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Poultry-Coop; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the art of shipping crates, boxes and the like, and more especially to a poultry coop of the collapsible kind, and an object of the invention is the provision of a device of this nature, in which improved, simple, efficient and practical features of construction are involved.

One of the features of construction is the provision of a coop having a bottom section consisting of a frame comprising end and side bars, the extremities of the side bars of which frame are forked, to receive the reduced ends of the end bars, and the adjacent edges of the side bars are grooved longitudinally to receive the opposite ends of slats, which form the bottom of the coop. The slats are tapered longitudinally toward their opposite ends, thereby rendering the slats thicker centrally, so as to withstand greater wear, and the extremities of said slats are wedged in the longitudinal grooves of the side bars. By this construction of the bottom section, the slats may be removed to be replaced by new ones, thereby renewing the bottom section. Also by this construction of bottom section, the drainage toward the sides of the bottom will be greatly facilitated, owing to the slats being tapered toward their opposite ends. The transverse taper would cause drainage toward where the slats join.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of spaced cleats adjacent each end of the top section of the coop, to receive the upper edge portions of the'hinged end sections of the coop, thereby preventing the end sections from collapsinginwa'rdly, when the coop is erect and ready for use, whereas the hinged side sections close against the opposite side edges of the top sections.

In practical fields the details of construc tion may require alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved coop constructed in accordance with the invention. 2 is a plan view of the coop. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a sectional view on line 4-4: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coop illustrating the side, end, and top sections collapsed upon the bottom sectlon.

Referring more especially to the drawings 1 designates the bottom section of the coop, which comprises the rectangular frame 2, consisting of the side bars 3' and end bars 4. The opposite ends of the side bars 3 are provided with forks 5, between which the reduced ends 6 of the end bars 4: are secured by the pins or brads '7 The adjacent edges of the side bars 3 are provided with longitudinal grooves 8. The bottom section includes a plurality of transverse slats 9, each of which tapers from its central portion toward its extremities 10, which are wedged in the grooves 8 of the side bars of thebottom section, thereby holding the slats securely in place.

Each of the slats is tapered toward its ends to facilitate the drainage. Secured to the side bars 3 of the bottom section are longitudinal strips 11. Eye bolts 18 pass through the strips 11 and the side bars of the bottom section, and are provided with nuts 13 to hold the strips 11 in place. Passing vertically through'the end bars 4 of the bottom section are eye bolts 14 having nuts threaded thereon to hold the bolts in position. The side pieces 15 of the coop (which consist of the longitudinal and end bars 16 and 17 and the slats 18) are provided with eyes 19, which are linked to the eyes of the bolts 18, thereby hingedly connecting the side pieces of the coop to the strips 11. The end pieces 20 of the coop '(which consist of the bars 21 and 22and the slats 23) are also provided with eyes 24:, which are linked to the eyes of the bolts 14, thereby hingedly connecting the end pieces to the ends of the bottom section. Owing to the end pieces being hingedly connected direct to the bottom section, saidend pieces are foldable toward and upon the bottom section, whereas the side pieces, owing to being linked or hingedly connected to the strips 11, are foldable toward and upon the end pieces, that is, when the coop is collapsed. The top section 26 of the coop comprises the longitudinal side edge bars 27, the end bars 28, and the longitudinal and transverse slats 29 and 30. Secured to the under face of the top section of the coop adjacent the ends thereof are spaced cleats 31, between which, as shown in Fig. 3, the upper edge portions of the end pieces engage, when the coop is erect, and in readiness to ship poultry. By virtue of the cleats the end pieces of the coop are prevented from collapsing inwardly or outwardly. lVhen the top section is arranged, so that the cleats will engage upon the opposite faces of the upper edges of the end pieces, the upper parts of the inner faces of the side pieces will contact with the outer edges of the bars 27 of the top section, thereby preventing the side pieces from collapsing inwardly. The bars 27 have bolts extending transversely, and which bolts 33 pass through the side pieces adjacent their upper edges, and receive wing nuts 34 to hold the side pieces clamped adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges of the top section. The top section is provided with an opening, through which the fowls may be inserted in the coop. This opening 36 is provided with a closure 37 having a pair of transverse slats 38, which engage the upper faces of the longitudinal slats 29, so that one end of the closure will engage under one of the transverse slats 26 of the top section, there being a slide rod 39 having an arch 40 to constitute a handle, and being mounted in the guide eyes 41, so that one end of said rod will engage an eye 42 on one of the transverse slats 30, to lock the closure in place. When the top section is removed, the end pieces may be collapsed toward and upon the bottom section, then the side pieces may be collapsed toward and upon the end pieces, after which the top section may be disposed upon the side pieces, as shown in Fig. 4 clearly, in which case the outer cleats 31 will eXtenddown and overlie the ends of the side pieces, thereby preventing movement of the top section. When the parts are so collapsed, the hooks &5 which are carried by the strips 11 will engage the bolts of the top section, as shown in Fig. 4:. W hen the coop or crate is erect as in Fig. l the outer cleats 31 are of such length, that the ends 46 of said cleats will overlie the ends of the side pieces.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:

A collapsible coop, comprising a bottom section, side and end pieces hingedly connected to the bottom section whereby the side pieces may be collapsed toward and upon the end pieces subsequently to folding the end pieces upon the bottom section, a top section interposed between the upper portions of the side pieces and having bolt connections therewith, the top section upon its under surface adjacent its ends having inner and outer cleats, between which the upper edge portions of the end pieces engage, thereby preventing the end pieces from collapsing inwardly, said outer cleats being extended at their ends and overlying the ends of the side pieces, thereby insuring rigidity, said bottom section having hooks designed to engage the bolt connections of the top section, when the side and end pieces are collapsed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK COOPER HANNA.

Witnesses:

MINNIE COFFMAN, G. W. HARTFORD.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

